Post-Standard basketball writer Mike Waters answers readers' questions about the Orange, the ACC, all of college basketball and just about anything else. To submit a question, email Mike at mwaters@syracuse.com

There is no doubt that the Orange are a Top 10 program in the country, so why can't they get a legitimate backup point guard? It was well noted that Michael Carter-Williams was leaving early last year and that all we had was Tyler Ennis as a true point. We don't need a top 50 player at every position. Why not recruit another one?

— John

Mike: There are several reasons why the Syracuse coaches wouldn't go out and recruit another point guard in the Class of 2013 to come in as a backup for incoming freshman Tyler Ennis.

First, Syracuse isn't in the habit of recruiting backups.

Now, obviously, Syracuse has recruited players in the past who the coaches knew would need a year or two to develop. But when a high school player comes into a program like Syracuse with the idea of being a backup for a year or two, the starter is usually an upperclassman — or a player who is headed for early entry into the NBA like a Michael Carter-Williams. In a year or two, the recruit expects to become a starter.

That wouldn't be the case if Syracuse brought in a recruit with the sole objective of having a backup to Ennis.

Forget top 50 players. No point guard in ESPN.com's Top 100 would have considered Syracuse knowing that the Orange had a commitment from Ennis. The last two point guards in the Top 100 were Rashawn Powell (No. 95) and London Perrantes (No. 96). They went to Memphis and Virginia, respectively. Syracuse wasn't getting those guys to come in as backups to another freshman.

Also, the SU coaches knew what they had in Michael Gbinije. I doubt that there was a point guard in the Class of 2013 that Syracuse could have gotten that the Syracuse coaches felt would be better than Gbinije as the backup to Ennis this year.

And remember, Syracuse now has a commitment from Kaleb Joseph, a point guard at Cushing Academy who is the No. 47 player in the Class of 2014. You have to wonder if Joseph still commits to Syracuse if there were two point guards on the roster instead of just Ennis.

Now that Isaiah Whitehead is off the board, is anybody still on the radar for 2014 with the last scholarship?

— Jim in Skaneateles

Mike: Syracuse was done recruiting players in the 2014 class even before Whitehead, a highly regarded recruit out of Brooklyn, chose to attend Seton Hall.

Once Syracuse got a commitment from Joseph, the Syracuse coaches shifted their recruiting focus away from the 2013 class and exclusively to the 2015, 2016 and younger classes.

Does Donte Greene now realize he left Syracuse University too soon?

— Roger

Mike: Oh, the Donte Greene debate. Syracuse fans despise Greene for leaving Syracuse and entering the NBA Draft after his freshman year. Their feelings, in part, derive from the fact that Syracuse failed to make the NCAA Tournament during Greene's one year at SU in 2007-08.

Greene did average 17.7 points per game, that's the third-highest average for a Syracuse freshman behind only Carmelo Anthony and Lawrence Moten. Greene's 7.2 rebounds per game are the fourth-highest average for an SU freshman.

However, I agree that Greene probably could have used another year in college.
But here's what Syracuse fans don't understand. By the time, Greene entered college he had lost both his parents. He had a younger brother who was being raised by an aunt.

He made a difficult decision to turn pro and make life-changing money. He was a first-round pick who spent four years in the NBA. I think he'd still be in the NBA if he hadn't suffered a broken foot in the summer of 2012. The injury voided a contract offer from the Brooklyn Nets.

And while Greene's not in the NBA, he is playing pro ball in China.

Note: Last week, I had a letter from a reader who wanted to know if former Syracuse Nationals player Johnny "Red'' Kerr had shot his free throws underhanded.
I could find no references of Kerr using the style that former NBA star Rick Barry made famous.

After the Mike's Mailbox ran, I received two emails from readers who said they remember Kerr shooting underhand free throws.

One reader named Paul wrote: "I grew up in Syracuse in the 1950's and 1960's and I was a big Syracuse Nats fan. I attended some of the Syracuse Nats games. I remember that John Kerr did shoot his free throws underhanded. In fact I have a vivid memory that he took a big sigh and elevated his shoulders just before he shot.''

But I contacted former Syracuse Post-Standard columnist David Ramsey, who is now with the Colorado Springs Gazette. In his time in Syracuse, Ramsey wrote about the old Nats quite often. He also wrote a book titled "The Nats: A Team, A Town, An Era.''

Ramsey could not recall seeing or hearing of Kerr shooting his free throws underhanded.

"Never heard that he shot underhanded, Mike. Watched hours of Nats footage from the early 1950s at Paul Seymour's home. Didn't watch much — if any — footage from the latter days of the Nats. I am not absolutely positive, but almost sure Kerr shot the normal way.''

So the mystery continues. I'd love to hear from other readers who remember watching Kerr and the Nationals.